Getting Involved on Campus Without Going Greek

If you’ve ever felt like you wanted to get involved on campus, but didn’t feel like Greek life was for you, I have good news. At University of Denver, Greek Life only makes up about a little over 20% of the student population. What’s better is that there are over 100 clubs and student organizations waiting for you to join so that you can find your niche. I’ve outlined a few of the most unique clubs and orgs on campus here as a sampling of what DU has to offer you. Give them a try!

Photo from Flickr.com by Auburn Alumni Association

Do you love to read and immerse yourself in a new culture? The Gender and Women’s Studies Reading Group is starting a book club for the year. The first book they are reading is Rebecca Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” This book is a non-fiction explanation of the hardships of the life of Henrietta Lacks, whose cervical cancer cells were harvested without her knowledge and have helped create many vaccines used in modern medicine. Having read this book, I would recommend it for everyone. It is a look at what has happened in the secretive world of medicine that we normally would not get a chance to read about without being involved in the profession. This book club is not limited to students in the Gender and Women’s Studies Discipline as all students are welcome. Students are invited to check the GWST office for free copies of the book. Their first meeting is on Tuesday, October 23rd at 6:00. RSVP in the GWST office, Sturm 419. Also stop into the office if you have any other questions regarding the group.

Looking for a Service Based Organization On Campus? Join Alpha Phi Omega or DU Service & Change. Both of these groups are focused on spreading service throughout the DU campus as well as within the Denver community. Alpha Phi Omega is a non-Greek service fraternity that works on three main principles of kindness, friendship, and service. Their meetings are every Wednesday at 6:00 pm in Sturm 254. You can also find their group on Facebook, where they display all upcoming service projects and meetings. For more information, contact Chloe Boggs.

DU Service & Change is a fusion of three service organizations on campus, including: DU Volunteers, Be The Change, and Pioneers Engaged in Acts of Kindness or PEAK. These three have merged to become a larger service organization on campus. They currently have four committees and are looking for people to fill spots on each as well as a few leadership positions. The committees are Project Connect, Project Action, Project Depth, and Project Volunteer. Their upcoming events include working with Project Homeless Connect, Habitat for Humanity, The Bridge Project, and a School Supply Drive. Email du.service.change@gmail.com with any questions about meetings or volunteer opportunities.

Interested in Medicine or the Global Health Movement? Join Globemed, a group whose mission is to improve the status of health and healthcare around the world. Their main mission is to make partners, learn and ignite using students from college campuses around the country to spread the word and improving health around the world. The “implement” section of the movement is divided into many projects, including: Maternal Health, Water Sanitation & Hygiene, Income Generation, Nutrition, Communicable Disease Prevention, and Capacity Building. For more information email them at Denver@globemed.org

Whatever you choose to pursue at DU, make sure it’s something that makes you feel welcome and included. There are so many groups on campus that you have the right to be selective about which ones you join. Get involved in a way that feels right to you!

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Just a girl trying to get from point A to point B via C, D, E, F, G, etc. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, but looking for excitement elsewhere before returning back to familiar faces and habits. Lover of all things wild and beautiful and important.